Programming control device



United States Patent 3,215,867 PROGRAMMING CONTROL DEVICE John C. Mellinger, Newton, Iowa, assignor to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 98,689 9 Claims. (Cl. 307-141) The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 32,881, filed May 31, 1960, now Patent No. 3,011,079.

This invention relates to automatic control devices, and more particularly, to a simplified selection system for obtaining a programmed group of operations, such as are employed in washers, driers, or combination washer-drier units.

' It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for rapidly advancing a sequential control device to some desired position in response to manual operation of a selection device. It is another object of the invention to provide for rapidly advancing the sequential control to elfectively skip preselected portions of the sequence. It is a further object of the invention to provide instant response to manual operation of the selection device without first requiring some action to cancel the existing condition of the sequential control. Further objects and advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

- In the drawings:

' FIGURE 1 is a diagram illustrating the selection control of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of one of the selector cams.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 in the drawing, there is shown diagrammatically a timing cam stack 10 for controlling the cyo'les of operation in an automatic device. By way of example, the usual cycles of operation for an automatic washing machine are illustrated, including washing, rising and spin drying of the fabrics to be cleaned. The cam stack 10 is normally driven by a timing motor 12 at a slow timing speed. When the cam stack is under the control of the timer motor, the washing machine is sequentially operated through the usual washing, rinsing, and spin dry cycles with each of the cycles of a predetermined time duration.

When the cam stack 10 is under control of the rapid advance motor 13, it is advanced at high speeds. Upon energization of the rapid advance motor, the shaft 15, to which are connected the timer motor 12 and cam stack 10, is rotated at high speeds through the advance motor, rotor 14 and gear box 16. The speed of the shaft 15 when rotated by the advance motor is fast enough so that lengthy pauses in the cycle of operation do not occur.

The rotor armature 14 of the advance motor is capable of rotary and translatory movement, and is normally biased by coil spring 18 along its longitudinal axis away from the gear box 16. When the advance motor is energized, the rotor moves toward the gear box 16 as indicated by the arrow, so that the pinion 19 mounted on the rotor shaft engages and drives the gear train to spin shaft 15 at a high speed. However, when the rapid advance motor 13 is de-energized, spring 18 separates the gear 19 from the gear train and the rotation of the shaft 15 is immediately discontinued.

Contact 23 of switch 21 is mounted on a movable spring arm engaged by pin 25 of the rotor 14. It will be noted that the rotor is biased by spring 18 to normally position contact 23 against contact 24, so as to energize the timer motor 12 and any other electrical load components L connected between terminals 33 and 34 on the timer motor. In the event the advance motor is energized, rotor 14 moves toward the gear box to disengage contact 23 from contact 24 to de-energize the timer motor 12 and other load components L.

Terminal 33 of timer motor 12 and one side of load L is directly connected to power line L Terminal 34 of timer motor 12 and the other side of load L is connected to power line L whenever advance motor 16 is de-energized and the circuit is completed through normally closed contacts 23, 24 of switch 21.

Terminal 31 of advance motor 13 is connected directly to power line L Terminal 30 of the advance motor 13 may be connected to power line L through switch contacts 68, 69 (normally open) of relay 60 or through push-button switch 71(b) and timer cam switch 71(a). Thus it may be seen that advance motor 16 can be independently controlled by either the re-advance cam 71 and push-button switch 71(b) or by relay 60 and its associated control circuitry.

The automatic control shown in FIGURE 1 includes advance and re-advance systems. Generally speaking, the advance system moves the cam stack 10 by operation of the rapid advance motor to any one of several sequential positions. The re-advance system moves the cam stack by operation of the rapid advance motor through a preselected portion of the timer sequence so as to alter the cycle.

The advance system will now be described in detail. Timer cams 40 through 44 and push buttons 41(0) through 44 (c) and their associated switch contacts 40(a) through 44(a) and 41(b) through 44(b) are used to control relay coil 60 which in turn controls the advance motor 16. The cams of the advance system, and the respective switches which they control, may be divided into two groups. In the first group is the master cam 40 and the switch 40(a) controlled by it. The second group includes slave cams 41 to 44 and their corresponding slave switches 41(a) to 44(a). The slave group may include a greater or lesser number, depending upon the desired number of selection positions in the washing machine operation. In order to illustrate the invention, four sequential positions I, II, III and IV are employed. Push buttons 41(c) to 44(0) which operate switches 41(b) to 44(b) are used to register selection of any of the positrons.

Master cam switch 40(a) is normally closed except for a small increment of time at the beginning of each selectable cycle.

Slave cam switches 41(a) through 44(a) are normally open, except one switch is closed at a time for a small increment at the beginning of each desired cycle corresponding to the increment at which the master cam switch 40(a) is opened. It will be noted that there is a rise on one of slave cams 41 to 44 corresponding to each dwell on master cam 40, so that at the same time master cam switch 40(a) is opened, one of the slave cam switches 41(a) to 44(a) will be closed.

Push-button switches 41(b) to 44(b) are normally closed. The push-button switches are manually operated by their own push buttons 41(c) to 44(c) each of which bears the legend of a particular selectable cycle.

All of the push-button switches are biased to closed position by springs (not shown). When a push button is depressed by the operator it travels to an innermost position and closes one of the momentary contact switches 51 to 54. As the push button is released by the operator the spring urges it toward closed position, but it is latched by a device (not shown) to hold it and maintain it in an open position, so that both the momentary contact switch and push-button switch are open, as illustrated 3 by the full line position of switch 41(b) in FIGURE 1 ofthe drawing,

Each push-button switch 41(b) to 44(b) has a corresponding momentary contact switch 51 to 54 which is closed for a brief period of time when its respective push button is manually depressed. Referring to pushbutton switch 41(b), there is illustrated in dotted lines the closing of the momentary contact switch 51 which occurs for a brief moment when push button 41(c) is manually depressed. The closing of any momentary contact switch 51 to 54 energizes the solenoid 60 by a circuit from power line L through the closed momentary contact switches 51 to 54, such as 51, master cam switch 4ll(a), thence through line 56, and line 55, to the solenoid 60. The other side of the solenoid 60 is connected to power line L Energization of relay coil 60 in turn energizes advance motor 16 through relay contacts 68 and 69.

If at the closing of the momentary contact switch the master cam switch 40(a) is open, the momentary energization of the advance motor 13 is completed by a parallel circuit through the particular slave switch 41(a) to 44(a) that is closed together with the corresponding preselection switch 41(b) to 44(b). The solenoid 60 is energized by the momentary contact switch through the master cam switch, or one of the slave switches, as a safety feature, in order to discontinue energization of the rapid advance motor, in the event the operator inadvertently keeps the momentary contact switch closed.

Although a separate momentary contact switch is shown for each push button, alternative constructions may be employed. For example, a mechanical connec-- tion may be made with each push button, so that only a single momentary contact switch is closed by the depression of any of the four push buttons. The result is the same, namely, the solenoid 60 is momentarily energized.

After the solenoid 60 is energized by a circuit from any one of the momentary contacts 51 to 54, solenoid switch contacts 65, 66 are closed to complete a holding circuit to maintain the solenoid energized. The holding circuit is from L contacts 66 and 65, master cam switch 40(a), line 55 to solenoid 60. It is thus evident that the advance system can only be effective in response to manual operation of one of the momentary contact switches. 7

Alternative holding circuits for solenoid 60, parallel to master cam switch 40(a), may also be completed through slave switch circuits. Each of the slave cam switches 41(a) to 44(a) is connected in series with its respective push-button switch, 41(b) to 44(b), between solenoid contact 65 and solenoid 60. When solenoid contact 66 engages contact 65, for example, with slave cam switch 41 (a) and push-button switch 41(1)) closed, the solenoid is held energized by a circuit from power line L solenoid contacts 66 and 65, switches 41(a), 41(1)) and line 55 to one side of the solenoid 60. The other side of the solenoid 60 is connected to power line L Likewise, each of the slave cam switches will maintain the solenoid energized through a corresponding holding circuit under similar conditions.

When the solenoid 60 is energized, contacts 68, 69 are closed to energize the advance motor through a circuit from L contacts 68, 69, to terminal 30. The other side of the advance motor is connected to line L The result is that the advance motor is operated as long as the solenoid is kept energized by the holding circuit described hereinabove.

It will be noted that each of the slave circuits (containing a slave switch and push-button switch in series) is in parallel to the master cam switch 40(a). After being momentarily energized, solenoid 60 will be held energized as long as the master cam switch 40(a), or one of the slave cam switches 41(a) to 44(a) together with its corresponding push button 41(b) to 44(1)) is 4, closed. During the time the solenoid is energized the advance motor continues to operate. The solenoid will be de-energized at the position of the selector cams at which one of the push-button switches 41(b) to 44(1)) is open. At this point, operation of the advance motor is stopped, and the timer motor started to advance the cam stack at normal slow speeds through the subsequent sequential positions.

By way of illustration, if push-button switch 41(b) is manually operated to close switch 51, as shown in FIG- URE 1 of the drawing, and the solenoid maintained energized by a holding circuit through contacts 65, 66, the advance motor will continue to rotate the advance cams 40 to 44 until the interval at which the master cam switch 40(a) is opened and the slave cam switch 41(a) is closed by their respective cams. At this point, the advance motor will be stopped, since the holding circuit for the solenoid cannot be completed through the slave circuit which has in series open push-button switch 41(b).

Referring now to FIGURE 2 of the drawing which illustrates the master cam 40, it will be noted that the cam may be divided into sections corresponding to various cycles in an automatic washing operation, since the ad- Vance cams, including cam 40, are mounted on shaft 15 which is connected to the timing cam stack 10. The various cycles are indicated by the dot and dash lines of I, II, III and IV. For example, the first part of the washing operation begins with a fill and agitation period indicated by I which may continue to the dot and dash line II. This is followed by a spin period and a rinse II, and a final spin dry III. In the circuit discussed hereinabove by merely depressing a push button 41(0) to 44(c) momentary contact switch 51 to 54 is closed which ener gizes a rapid advance motor under the control of the advance cams and automatically advances the cam stack to the desired cycle indicated by I, II, III, or IV. The master cam 40 has a dwell period for opening the master cam switch for a short interval of time at the beginning of each desired cycle, as indicated at positions I, II, III, and IV in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the dwell at I, for instance, will start the washing operation at the earliest point and allow it to proceed for the maximum time to the rinse operation beginning at II.

The re-advance system will now be described in detail. The re-advance cam 71 is also secured to shaft 15 which is connected to the timing cam stack 10. A rise on cam 71 closes the cam switch 71(a) during a portion of the cycle controlled by the timing cam stack 10 which is desired to be omitted or skipped. A manually operable presettable switch 71(b) is in series with the cam switch 71(a) between power line L and terminal 30 of the rapid advance motor 13. If the manually operable push button 71(0) has been moved previously to close normally open switch 71(b) when switch 71(a) is closed, the rapid advance motor will be energized, and remained energized, for the period corresponding to the rise on cam 71.

A number of re-advance cams similar to 71 may be employed to skip various portions of the cycle, or cycles. In this way, the re-advance system may be used in conjunction with the advance system to eliminate at least portions of the preselectable cycles.

Operation of the re-advance system is as follows. Assuming the push button 41(0) has been depressed, as shown in FIGURE 1, to preselect the washing cycle by operation of the advance system, as previously described, the timing cam stack will be moved to position I in the period of operation illustrated in FIGURE 2.

By way of example in the drawing, the re-advance system is employed to shorten the Washing period, such as may be desired for treatment of delicate fabrics. In the case of delicate setting, the total washing period, referring to FIGURE 2, is reduced to the time between I and 1(a), instead of the full wash period between I and II. The purpose of the re-advance system then is to skip the time period between 1(a) and II, and the cam 71 is constructed with a 'rise corresponding to the period between I(a) and II. Assuming the re-advance system to be preset for delicate fabrics with the switch 71(b) to be closed, as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 1, when the cam stack has been located at position I, the cam stack begins to advance slowly under the control of timer motor 12. When the cam stack reaches the point corresponding to 1(a) of FIGURE 2, switch 71(a) will be closed by cam 71. This completes the circuit from L switch 71(a), and switch 71(b), energizing the rapid advance motor 13 to move the cam stack to the position of II skipping the remainder of the washing cycle. In this way the washing period is shortened by subtracting a time period determined by cam 71 from the total wash cycle.

The advantages of the re-advance system are unique. Even though an advance system may be employed to select a particular cycle,'the re-advance system may be used to predetermine whether the full period, or only portions, of a preselected cycle are to be utilized. It is thus evident that the re-advance system can cause the advance motor to be energized so as to skip a portion of the cycle without causing the advance circuit to become eifective. However, the advance system is instantly effective from any point in the cycle in response to manual operation of the control switch.

Although push buttons 41 (c) and 71(0) are illustrated as independent units, it may be desirable to provide other mechanical arrangements. For example, push button 71(0) may be mechanically linked to push button 41(0), so that the operator need only depress button 71(0) to achieve the desired action of both switches 41(b) and 71(1)) without touching button 41(0). Likewise, various other mechanical connections may be made between switches of both the advance and re-advance systems to achieve a combination of settings by the depression of a single push button.

In the drawing and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a preselection system for use with automatic control devices, timing means for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speed, first selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for locating said timing means at a desired position in said series of operations, said first selector means being responsive only to manual initiation, and second selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for optionally skipping a portion of at least one of said operations following the position selected by said first selector means.

2. In a preselection system adapted to be employed with automatically controlled apparatus, timing means for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speeds, first selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance -motor means for locating said timing means at a desired position in said series of operations, said first selector means being responsive only to manual initiation, and second selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for thereafter rapidly moving said timing means during a predetermined period to skip at least a portion of an operation.

3. In a preselection system for use with automatic controls, timing means for controlling a series of operations,

timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speeds, first selector means controlling said rapid advance motor means for locating said timing means at a desired position in said series of operations, said first selector means being responsive only to manual initiation, and second presettable selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for moving said timing means at high speed to skip at least a portion of the period following said selected position.

4. In a preselection system for use with automatic con trols, timing means for controlling a series of operations, timer mot-or means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speeds, first selector means controlling said rapid advance motor means operable for locating said timing means at the start of a desired sequence of operations, said first selector means being responsive only to manual initiation, and second selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for rapidly moving said timing means to optionally skip at least a portion of said desired operations.

5. In an automatic control system timing means movable to sequential positions for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speeds, first selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid ad vance motor means operable to select certain registered positions in the time sequence for positioning said timing means at the start of desired operations, said first selector means being responsive only to manual initiation, and second selector means including circuit means controlling said rapid advance motor means for automatically ad vancing said timing means through a predetermined period to skip a portion of said desired operations.

6. In an automatic control system, timing means movable to sequential positions for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance means for driving said timing means at high speeds, manually operable means to select one of several sequential positions, advance means controlling said rapid advance means for automatically advancing said timing means to the position registered by said manually operable means, presettable means optionally operable to select a predetermined period extending over at least a part of the time following a selected position, and re-advance circuit means. controlling said rapid advance means for automatically advancing said timing means to skip said selected predetermined period.

7. In an automatic control system, timing means movable to sequential positions for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance means for driving said timing means at high speeds, manually operable means to select one of several sequential positions, advance means responsive to said manually operable means controlling said rapid advance means for automatically advancing said timing means to the position registered by said manually operable means, presettable means operable to choose a predetermined period extending over a predetermined portion of said selected timer sequence for automatically advancing said timing means to skip said chosen predetermined period.

8. In an automatic control system, timing means movable to sequential positions for controlling a series of operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance means for driving said timing means at high speeds, manually operable means to select one of several sequential positions, advance circuit means controlling said rapid advance means for automatically advancing said timing means to the position registered by said manually operable means, presettable means optionally operable to select a predetermined period extending over at least a part of the time subsequent to said selected position, and re-advance circuit means controlling said rapid advance means for automatically advancing said timing means to skip said selected predetermined period.

' 9. In an automatic control system, timing means movable to sequential positions for controlling a series 0t operations, timer motor means for driving said timing means at normal slow speeds, rapid advance motor means for driving said timing means at high speed, manually operable means for selecting one of several sequential positions, advance means controlling said rapid advance motor means for automatically positioning said timing means at the position registered by said manually operable means, and presettable means including circuit means operable to choose a predetermined period extending over a predetermined portion of a selected sequence for automatically advancing said timing means by said rapid advance motor means to skip said chosen predetermined period.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LLOYD MCCOLLUM, Primary Examiner.

MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, Examiner. 

8. IN AN AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM, TIMING MEANS MOVABLE TO SEQUENTIAL POSITIONS FOR CONTROLLING A SERIES OF OPERTIONS, TIMER MOTOR MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID TIMING MEANS AT NORMAL SLOW SPEEDS, RAPID ADVANCE MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID TIMING MEANS AT HIGH SPEEDS, MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS TO SELECT ONE OF SEVERAL SEQUENTIAL POSITIONS, ADVANCE CIRCUIT MEANS CONTROLLING SAID RAPID ADVANCE MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ADVANCING SAID TIMING MEANS TO THE POSITION REGISTERED BY SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS, PRESETTABLE MEANS OPTIONALLY OPERABLE TO SELECT A PREDETERMINED PERIOD EXTENDING OVER AT LEAST A PART OF THE TIME SUBSEQUENT TO SAID SELECTED POSITION, AND RE-ADVANCE CIRCUIT MEANS CONTROLLING SAID RAPID ADVANCE MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ADVANCING SAID TIMING MEANS TO SKIP SAID SELECTED PREDETERMINED PERIOD. 